Structural element



Nov.- 15, 192 7.

J. H. SWEDENBORG STRUCTURAL ELEMENT eeo'non'iically from a Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

" UNITEDIIFSEITATFE IPZA'TEN r orrilic E.

JQH'NHENRY swnnnmaone. or snresunn, OHIO.

% unscreen. ELEMENT.

r Application filed February ments especially"adaptedfor use=as columns "in reenhouses and similar" structures. is one of the objects of the 'invention to provide a column that will have the requisite' char'acteristics of strength anddurabi'lityifor the purpose otsupporting the superstructure of a"green-" house. e

I A further object "of theni nvention is to provide a column, for the purposes specifled, that will 'be equipped witha'wvheel or roller at its lower end for the purpose of permitting the greenhouse structure to be I moved from one location to another.

A further object "of tl'iei nvention is to provide an improved form of supporting means for the heating pipes of a greenhouse, such supporting means to be so designed as to be capable of manufacture at a very low cost and readily assembled and adjusted on the supporting column of the greenhouse structure.

Other objects of the invention and the features of novelty will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of

' which Fig. 1 is a side elevationof a column embodying my invent1on;

Fig. 2 is another elevation of the columnshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an I-beam from which the column, shown in Fig. 1, is constructed;

Fig. 4: is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing the end of the I-beam before the flanges are bent;

Fig. 5 is another side elevationshowing the upper end of the column after the bending operations;

Fig. 6 is a. plan view of the structure, as it appears in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a column, made from an. I-beam, the flanges of the I-beam, at the upper end of the column, being bent outwardly into V-form, as shown at 11 and 12, for the purpose of forming a support for the members 13 and 14 which constitute the gutters between two sloping greenhouse roofs.

The lower end of the column 10 may be embedded in concrete, according to the commay bemanufactured' "standard I-beam and 121926. Serial iNoi87,752. monpractice in'building stationary greenhouses or, when it isdesire'd to have-1a portablegreenhouse, the'lowerrend of the'column willv have the web 'cut' away to form a 'recess 151-for the wheel or roller 16, the latter be ing mounted onia shaft I Y that 'is carried by the' I-beam' flangessl8' and 19. The'wheel 16 is mounted: on-! 'a mu 20 whichwis; suitably supported on a-foundation' 21. :For the pure pose ofean'choring the acolumn :10; :thendownwardly'"projecting. flanges: :18 and =1 9 are turned outwardly to form the ears 22-=which 'niayzbe secured to-ian anchoring member 23, in the foundation 21, by" means i of the bolts 24.

The method ofi ormi'ng thenppei end of the col-unmis illustrated in;Fi'gs."3 to 7a. The web of the I-beam is first severed from the flanges along the dotted lines 25, by shearing or sawing the cuts 25 extending for the requisite distance longitudinally of the beam. A portion of the web is then removed by a transverse cut, indicated by the dotted line 26, thus producing the structure shown in Fig. 4. The flanges 11 and 12 are then bent outwardly away from the web to provide the V-shape, shown in Fig. 5. The web is then bent laterally and formed into a V-shape, as shown at 27, in Fig. 5, by means of a suitable press, the operation being preferably performed while the metal is hot. The flanged web is so arranged as to constitute practically a continuation of the inclined flanges 11 and 12 and the bottom or point of the V, as shown in Fig. 5. There is thus provided an integral structure having all of the necessary features for supporting and securing the members 13 and 14.

In greenhouses it is the usual custom to heat by steam or hot water which is conducted through series of pipes and, in connection with my improved column structure, I provide a hanger or support for the pipes which are indicated at 28. This hanger consists of a bar 29 having its ends bent laterally, as indicated at 30 and 31, to

. By having the pipes supported on columns away from the web, and the severed portion of the web being bent so as to eX- tend laterally from the plane of the web.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a structural column consisting of an I-beam having its flanges severed from the web for a portion of the length thereof and bent away from the web, and the severed por-.

tion of the web being bent into a V-shape extending laterally from the plane of the web.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a

structural column consisting of an I-beam having its flanges severed fromthe web for a portion of the length thereof and bent away fromthe web, and the. severed portion of the Web being bent into a V-shape extending laterally from the plane of the web with its sides substantially in the planes of the bent portions of the flanges.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a structural column consisting of an I-beam having its flanges severed from the web for a portion of the length thereof and bent away from the web, in the form of a V, and the severed portion of the web being bent intoa V-shape extending laterally from the plane of the web and so positioned as to constitute the point of the V formed by the flanges.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a structural column consisting of'an I-beam having its flanges, at one end, severed from the web for a portion of the length thereof and bent away from the web in the form of a V, the opposite endv of the I-beam having the web cut away to provide a recess, a shaft supported in the flanges, and a wheel carried by said shaft-in said recess.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature. I JOHN HENRY SWEDENBORG. 

